This guide contains setup instructions for the ACP-VNL-I and ACP-HI-I Automated Cargo Pods. If you are operating a single pod, then you can suffice with just the required setup steps below to get started. However, to make most of your pod experience I would highly recommend going through the recommended steps as well. This is especially true when you operate multiple pods.

For each pod that you operate, please make that you perform the following three steps:

1. Transfer block ownership. By default, no ownership is assigned to the blocks on the pod. Select all blocks from the control panel (including all hidden blocks) and transfer ownership to you.
   
2. Recompile programmable blocks. Whenever a change in ownership occurs, programmable blocks typically need to be recompiled. This is also true for both the PAM and spare programmable blocks on this pod.
   
3. Set flight-ready state. The pod is not ready to fly out of the box. To fly the pod, simply enter the control seat and hit the corresponding button on the toolbar (#6, set state: disconnecting).

Once you have finished the required setup steps for your pod, consider going through the following steps as well.

PAM is the lifeblood of this pod's automation. Make sure to read through the guide to understand how PAM works. Of course, if you prefer to fly yourself, that is possible to.

When setting up the shuttle job in PAM, select the 'On Connecting' and 'On Disconnecting' timer blocks for each connector. This will automate the pod state to control the lighting, thruster shutoff, etc., depending on whether the pod is docked or is traveling.

These timer blocks are also usable from the main cockpit toolbar for use during manual flight operations. The connector lock is also controlled by these timer blocks. See the Custom Data of these timer blocks for more details.

When a ship is docked to a connector, the blocks for both grids are merged into one single list in the control panel. Blocks that share the same name can sometimes cause conflict issues, so a unique name for each block is highly recommended. This is something I hope that Keen Software House will improve upon in an eventual Space Engineers sequel, but for now it unfortunately is what it is.

All blocks on this pod have been prefixed with the text '[ACP]' to give it a unique name. However, if you dock multiple pods to a single station, this may still cause issues as mentioned above. Rename all blocks, such that each pod has a unique prefix. You can use any preferred mod or script to do so, but the spare computer onboard this pod has been preloaded with Whip's Block Renamer script for your convenience. For example, to rename the prefix to My Pod, you can do the following:

1. In the control panel, select all blocks (including all hidden blocks) and group them in a group that is called this: replace "[ACP]" with "[My Pod]"
   
2. Run the spare programmable block once. This should have replaced all [ACP] prefixes with [My Pod]. Of course, rather than using [My Pod] as a prefix, you can use whatever prefix name you would like.
   
3. You can now delete the group created from the control panel.

Note: scripts cannot rename groups. To prevent naming conflicts, no groups have been created on this pod. Instead, grouping is done through the use of timer blocks.

When you operate one or more pods using a station controller, PAM uses a user-defined name to tell each apart. Select the PAM programmable block and open its Custom Data. Adjust the name after 'Ship_Name=' to uniquely identify this pod. See the PAM guide for more details about station controllers.

Also consider renaming the grid name (Control panel > Info tab) and the 'HUD Text' of the antenna block to match the name used by PAM.

Five spare timer blocks and the spare programmable block are provided for you to adjust your pod to your preference.

One other specific thing that you may want to swap out is the sensor on the front. By default, the base game sensor has been used to keep the neccesary DLC down to one. However, this sensor has a big housing part at the back that does not look great with the beam it is attached to. If you own the Automatons DLC, you may want to consider using that sensor instead, as it has no housing on the back. Refer to the Custom Data of the sensor block for more details on its role.

The custom data for a few blocks contains notes that are particular to that block. For the sake of completeness, most of these notes are reproduced here.

The camera is provided to help facilitate remote control operations without having to be seated in the control seat. This block is referenced by the remote control block and provides a forward view when piloting the pod long-distance through an antenna. The camera can be safely removed. Upon removal, the pod can no longer be remotely controlled while maintaning a visual view from the pod.

By default, the sensor has a very limited role on this pod. Whenever a ship (small or large grid) or a station comes within sensor range, a timer block will turn on all hazard lights. When the sensor no longer detects such a grid it will turn off the hazard lights. This setup works well together with the default states setup. In this default setup the pod's following states affect the hazard lights:

• Travel (outside sensor range): hazard lights are off
  
• Approach (entering sensor range): hazard lights turn on
  
• Docking / Connecting: hazard lights turn off
  
• Undocking / Disconnecting: hazard lights turn on
  
• Departure (leaving sensor range): hazard lights turn off

This block is not controlled by any timer blocks and can be removed with minimal consequences. Upon removal of the sensor all hazard lights will remain on for the full duration off the flight, but will turn off when docked to a grid.

These notes are a slightly condensed version of the recommended steps described above.

This timer block configures the pod to be in a docked state. PAM can be configured to trigger this block upon connecting to a connector. You can also manually trigger this block using the toolbar when piloting the pod yourself. Make sure that the pod's connector is within locking distance of the connector that it will connect to. When triggered, this timer will perform the following actions over a short period of time:

• Turn off the thrusters
  
• Turn off the gyroscopes
  
• Turn off the hazard lights
  
• Turn off the spotlights
  
• Turn off the navigation lights
  
• Turn off the sensor
  
• (Re-)lock the connector

Considering the block is located in a harder to reach place, it is not recommended to remove it. You may want to change the timer's actions to better match your preferences or simply consider not using it instead.

These notes are almost identical to the On Connecting timer block. But rather than turning blocks off, this timer will turn them on instead and unlock the connector.